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Progress Edition 2007

Community Foundation of Shelby County
Contact: Marian Spicer, 497-7800    mspicer@commfoun.com

"The charitable funds of the Community Foundation of Shelby County distributed more than $675,000 in grants in 2006 to support community organizations and projects,” reported Marian Spicer, executive director. “The Foundation also grew with the addition of eleven new charitable funds.”

The local not-for-profit community foundation holds 75 charitable funds that award scholarships, provide grants to local organizations, and support charitable programs and community projects. The foundation administers assets in excess of $9 million.

Charitable funds established last year include:

Three scholarship funds were transferred to the Botkins Local Schools Foundation which had been established in 2005.  The Carol Becker Scholarship, the Chase Fultz Scholarship, and the Randy Greve Scholarship will continue to provide awards to students graduating from Botkins High School.

The Fort Loramie Education Foundation placed most of its assets, including it general fund and four scholarship funds, with the Community Foundation in 2006.  The Ben-Med Scholarship, the Joe and Mary Borchers Scholarship, the Brad Meyer Baseball Memorial Scholarship and the Urban Ratermann Scholarship all benefit Fort Loramie High School graduating seniors.

The Delbert “Doc” and Hilda Francis Family Foundation is a donor advised fund that will enable members of the family to recommend grant distributions from earnings of the fund.
The Jack Hamer Holloway Foundation transferred assets from the former private foundation of the same name to the Community Foundation.  The fund is advised by Randy Holloway.

The Russia Wellness Foundation will benefit organizations and project in the Russia community.  A board comprised of Russia residents will advise the fund.

The Ohio Grantmakers Forum, a state association for foundations, held a seminar on Organization Endowment Funds at the Community Foundation office in August.  Sixteen community foundation staff and board members from throughout Ohio attended.

The Community Foundation held its annual Donors and Partners celebration in September at In Good Taste in downtown Sidney. The event featured presentations by executive director Marian Spicer and board chairman Ed Borchers. Community Foundation Partners are those individuals who have contributed to the Partners Fund in support of the Foundation’s operations.

In October, a luncheon for local professional advisors was held to discuss the Pension Protection Act of 2006 and its impact on charitable giving. The law enables individuals to make gifts to charity from their Individual Retirement Accounts.  It also defines new rules regarding charitable gift deductions.

The Foundation’s strategic plan was revised in the fall to guide the organization through the next two years.  Goals are to increase assets and the number of charitable funds, to implement a leadership/visibility initiative, and to increase discretionary assets, which are used by the board to issue grants to other local, nonprofit organizations.

The 2007 Community Foundation trustees are Ed Borchers, Chairman; Linda Scott, Vice Chairman; Ken Schlater, Secretary; Bruce Boyd, Treasurer; Dan Bensman; Andy Counts; Diane Meyer; Ken Monnier; and Judy Westerheide.

In 2007, the Foundation will look to increase services to those who wish to donate to charitable causes in the community. For more information, please contact Marian Spicer at 497-7800 or e-mail at mspicer@commfoun.com.